Tooth paste dispenser



March 22, 1966 R. FREEMAN TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 2, 1964 INVENTOR.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2, 1964 INVENTOR.

A TTURNEYS.

March 22, 1966 FREEMAN I 3,241,721

TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER Filed Dec. 2, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 Z/{/" 6 5% ji/ JIHL J INVENTOR.

Rchard fieemah United States Patent 3,241,721 TOOTH PASTE DISPENSERRichard Freeman, 637 alem Ave., Elizabeth, NJ. Filed Dec. 2, 1964, Ser.No. 415,414 3 Claims. (Cl. 22293) This invention relates to a toothpaste dispenser having a casing for enclosing and supporting acollapsible tube of tooth paste and for supporting a supply of toothbrushes.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improvedpaste dispenser which is adapted to be mounted on a wall such as thewall of a bath room, which holds a collapsible tube of paste such astooth paste, which firmly supports the collapsible tube in invertedposition and provides manually operated means for forcing the pastecontents of the tube in selected quantities out of the tube neckdisposed at the bottom of the dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of casingfor insuring the circulation of air through that part of the casing inwhich the bristles of the tooth brushes are exposed for facilitatingdrying of the bristles after use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casing for supportinga collapsible tube and tooth brushes which facilitates the insertion ofthe collapsible tube, protects the same from damage, maintains the tubein a sanitary condition and minimizes waste of its contents upondischarge thereof.

Still another object is to provide a casing for supporting a collapsibletube container and a supply of tooth brushes that is simple and durablein construction, economical to manufacture, easy to use and neat andattractive in appearance.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a combined paste dispenser andtooth brush holder embodying one form of the invention, tooth brushesbeing shown in supported condition therein.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the bottom of the device showingpaste being dispensed on top of a tooth brush.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of slidable carriage supporting theshafts, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a disassembled perspective view of a fragment of a slidablecarriage for supporting the shafts embodying a modified form of theinvention, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of a modifiedform of closure cap mounting.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 10.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1there is illustrated a combined paste dispenser and tooth brush holderembodying the invention which is designated generally at 10. Theimproved device 10 consists of a casing 12 rectangular in configurationand cross-section and formed of wood, plastic or any other suitablematerial. The device has opposed slightly bulged side walls 14, 14, rearwall 16, top wall 18 and bottom wall 20. The front of the casing is openbut is adapted to be closed by a door 22 hinged at one end to the topwall 18 by hinge members 24.

The side walls 14, 14 are extended rearwardly beyond the rear wall 16 asindicated at 26 from a point remote from the top end thereof and from anequal distance from the bottom end thereof, and extending across the topof such extensions there is an auxiliary top wall 28 and extendingacross the bottom thereof there is an auxiliary bottom wall 30. Anauxiliary rear wall 32 spans the space between the auxiliary top andbottom walls and the side wall extensions 26. The auxiliary walls definea rear compartment 34. The auxiliary rear wall 32 is formed with acutaway portion 36 for ventilating purposes and the auxiliary top wall28 is formed with spaced openings 38.

Aligned holes 41) are formed in the solid portion of the auxiliary rearwall 32 to receive screws 42 for fastening the casing to a verticalsupport such as a bathroom wall 44.

In accordance with the invention, a carriage structure 58 is slidablymounted inside the casing. The carriage structure comprises arectangular-shaped plate-like body 52 with tubular extensions 54extending perpendicularly to the plane of the body at the ends of thebody. The tubular extensions serve as hearing members for a tubularslotted shaft 56 and a solid knurled shaft 58. The tubular shaft extendsthrough holes 60 in the inner walls 62 of the extensions 54 and throughspaces 64 between the end edges of the sections of the sectioned outerwall 65 of the extensions 54. The open ends of the tubular extension 54are closed by removable rectangular shaped plugs 66. The solid shaft 58is disposed in parallelism with the tubular shaft 56 and is closelyspaced therefrom with its ends 68 in slots 69 in the inner walls 62.Shaft 58 slides along the slots 68. A spiral spring 70 has one endhooked over the edge of a round hole 74 formed in the top wall 76 ofeach tubular extension 54 with its other end hooked around the round end68 of the shaft 58. The springs yieldingly urge the solid shaft 58against the tubular shaft 56. Instead of being hooked over the edge of around hole, the spring may be hooked over an instruck lug 77 formed inthe top wall 76 of the tubular bearing 54 as seen in FIG. 9.

The ends of tubular shaft 56 extend through elongated closed slots 78 inside walls 14, 14 of the casing and are fitted with knurled knobs 80 forturning the shaft.

A round hole 82 with tapered edge is formed in the bottom wall 20 midwayits ends. A pan-shaped closure cover 84 is hingedly mounted along theinner long edge of the bottom wall 20 by means of a hinge structure 86.Midway the ends of the closure cover, a pair of spaced upright plates 88project upwardly from the bottom of the cover. The plates serve asguides for a channel-shaped metal cap 90 seated upon and pressedupwardly by a spiral spring 92 seated on the floor of the door. Anelongated plate 94 has one end pivotally attached to a pivot pin 96fastened in the bottom wall 20 adjacent one side wall 14. The other endof the plate is formed with a hole 97 underneath hole 82 in wall 20 asseen in FIG. 5 and terminates in a finger piece 98 for manipulating thesame. The plate 94 spans the hole 82 in the bottom wall 20. A ballshaped protuberance 100 on the long free edge of the cover 84 snaps overa depending protuberance 102 on the bottom wall 20 for releasablyholding the cover in closed position.

In use, with the door 22 of the casing 10 in open position, acollapsible tube of tooth paste is placed inside the casing, insertingthe neck 112 thereof, the cap having first been removed therefrom, intothe tapered hole 82 in the bottom wall 20 and placing the flat metallicend 113 of the tube through the slot 114 of the shaft 56 to the interiorof the shaft. When the tube is in this position in the casing, the neck112 of the tube extends downwardly between the bifurcated end of plate94 and is seated on the spring-pressed closure cap 90.

When it is desired to dispense paste from the tube 110, the cover 84 isswung open as shown in FIG. 3 and the bristles 116 of a tooth brush 118are placed underneath the neck 112 of the tube. By merely turning one ofthe knobs 80 in the proper direction, in the direction of the arrow inFIG. 4, the tube 110 will be squeezed against the presser shaft orroller 58 thereby forcing the paste downwardly through the tube and outthrough the neck and at the same time the carriage 50 is moveddownwardly, the edge of the slots 70 guiding the downward movement ofthe shaft 56 and carriage. The pivoted plate 94 manually severs thethread of extruded paste.

The invention contemplates that a supply of tooth brushes 120 may bestored in the compartment 34 at the rear of the casing with the handles122 inserted through the openings 38 in auxiliary top wall 28 and withthe bristles 124 resting on the top wall 28. Air enters the cutawayportion 36 in the auxiliary rear Wall 32 and passes upwardly around thebristles which are exposed to the air for ready drying after use.

In FIGS. and 11, a modified from of mounting for the channel shaped cap90' for closing the neck 112 of the tube 110 is shown. Herein the cap90' is formed with laterally extending trunnions journalled in socketbearings in upright posts carried by the closure door 84'.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tooth paste dispenser comprising a rectangular shaped hollow casinghaving top, bottom, rear and side walls and being open at the front, thebottom wall having a central hole therein, the side walls havingelongated closed slots therein, a hinged door closing the opening in thefront, a carriage slidably mounted in the casing between the walls, arotatable slotted shaft supported along said carriage, said shaftextending through the slots in the side walls outwardly of the casing,another shaft supported on said carriage alongside the slotted shaft andclosely spaced therefrom, spiral springs having one end anchored to thecarriage and having the other end fastened to the ends of the othershaft for urging said other shaft into contact with the slotted shaft,said slotted shaft adaped to receive the end of a collapsible tubetherein between said shafts, the supported tube adapted to have its neckportion inserted in the center hole in the bottom wall, means forclosing the opening in said neck positioned in the center hole, andknobs on the protruding ends of the slotted shaft for squeezing the tubeand dispensing paste through the neck of the tube and for moving saidcarriage downwardly through the casing, the means for closing theopening in the neck including a cover hinged to one long edge of thebottom wall, and a spring-pressed channel-shaped cap carried by thecover and adapted to contact the neck of the tube when the cover is inclosed position.

2. A tooth paste dispenser comprising a rectangular shaped hollow casinghaving top, bottom, rear and side walls and being open at the front, thebottom wall having a central hole therein, the side walls havingelongated closed slots therein, a hinged door closing the opening in thefront, a carriage slidably mounted in the casing between the walls, arotatable slotted shaft supported along said carriage, said shaftextending through the slots in the side walls outwardly of the casing,another shaft supported on said carriage alongside the slotted shaft andclosely spaced therefrom, spiral springs having one end anchored to thecarriage and having the other end fastened to the ends of the othershaft for urging said other shaft into contact with the slotted shaft,said slotted shaft adaped to receive the end of a collapsible tubetherein between said shafts, the supported tube adapted to have its neckportion inserted in the center hole in the bottom wall, means forclosing the opening in said neck positioned in the center hole, andknobs on the protruding ends of the slotted shaft for squeezing the tubeand dispensing paste through the neck of the tube and for moving saidcarriage downwardly through the casing, the means for closing theopening in the neck including a cover hinged to one long edge of thebottom wall, and a spring-pressed channel-shaped cap carried by thecover and adapted to contact the neck of the tube when the cover is inclosed position, and cooperating protuberances on the bottom wall of thecasing and the cover for releasably holding the cover closed.

3. A combined tooth paste dispenser and tooth brush holder comprising incombination a casing rectangular in configuration and cross-section,said casing having a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, side wallsand being open at the front, said bottom wall having a central holetherein, said side walls having elongated slots therein, a door hingedto the top wall for closing the opening at the front, said side wallshaving rearward extensions, an auxiliary top wall across the tops of theside wall extensions, an auxiliary bottom wall across the bottoms of theside wall extensions, and an auxiliary rear wall spanning the spacebetween the outer edges of the auxiliary top and bottom wall and sidewall extensions, said auxiliary rear wall having a cutout portioncentrally thereof, said auxiliary top wall having spaced openingstherein, said auxiliary walls and side wall extensions defining a rearcompartment in the casing, for storing a supply of tooth brushes withthe handles protruding through the openings in the auxiliary top wallinto the compartment and the bristles resting on the auxiliary top wallin exposed condition, and means for dispensing paste from thecollapsible tube supported on a shaft protruding outwardly through theslots in the side walls of the casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,721,981 7/1929Werner 222102 1,842,000 1/1932 Winsor 222l02 2,016,269 10/1935 Johnsonet a1 222102 X 2,194,882 3/1940 Bamber 222-102 2,502,081 3/1950 Flynn etal. 222-402 FOREIGN PATENTS 694,584 9/1964 Canada.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Assistant Examiner.

3. A COMBINED TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER AND TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER COMPRISING INCOMBINATION A CASING RECTANGULAR IN CONFIGURATION AND CROSS-SECTION,SAID CASING HAVING A REAR WALL, A TOP WALL, A BOTTOM WALL, SIDE WALLSAND BEING OPEN AT THE FRONT, SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING A CENTRAL HOLETHEREIN, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING ELONGATED SLOTS THEREIN, A DOOR HINGEDTO THE TOP WALL FOR CLOSING THE OPENING AT THE FRONT, SAID SIDE WALLSHAVING REARWARD EXTENSIONS, AN AUXILIARY TOP WALL ACROSS THE TOPS OF THESIDE WALL EXTENSIONS, AN AUXILIARY BOTTOM WALL ACROSS THE BOTTOMS OF THESIDE WALL EXTENSIONS, AND AN AUXILIARY REAR WALL SPANNING THE SPACEBETWEEN THE OUTER EDGE OF THE AUXILIARY TOP AND BOTTOM WALL AND SIDEWALL EXTENSIONS, SAID AUXILIARY REAR WALL HAVING A CUTOUT PORTIONCENTRALLY THEREOF, SAID AUXILIARY TOP WALL HAVING SPEED OPENINGSTHEREIN, SAID AUXILIARY WALLS AND SIDE WALL EXTENSIONS DEFINING A REARCOMPARTMENT IN THE CASING, FOR STORING A SUPPLY OF TOOTH BRUSHES WITHTHE HANDLES PROTRUDING THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN THE AUXILIARY TOP WALLINTO THE COMPARTMENT AND THE BRISTLES RESTING ON THE AUXILIARY TOP WALLIN EXPOSED CONDITION, AND MEANS FOR DISPENSING PASTE FROM THECOLLAPSIBLE TUBE SUPPORTED ON A SHAFT PROTRUDING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THESLOTS IN THE SIDE WALLS OF THE CASING.